Running-gear.



Patented ct. 7, |902. H. P. coLv. RUNNING GEAR. (Application led Mar. 20, 1902.)

, OMNI/NTOR N j Attnmey (No Model.)

WITNESSES `N1Tn Y rrane I'IARLAN P. COLBY, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

RUNNING-GEAR.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 710,428, datedkOctober 7, 1902. Application filed March 20, 1902. Serial No. 99,100. (No model.)

To all whom it may con/cern,.-

Be it known that I, I-IARLAN P. COLBY, a resident of Grand Rapids, inthe county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Running-Gear; and I d0 hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as Will enable others skilled in the art to Which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improved running-gear for vehicles, the object of the invention beingto provide improvements of this character which will be comparatively cheap to manufacture, light, yet extremely strong and durable and able to withstand at all times the necessary strains thereon.

With this object in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view illustratingmy improvements. Fig. 2 is a side view of one of the bars. Figs. 3 and 5 are enlarged views of the ends of the gear, and Fig. 4 is a bottom plan vieW of the casting 4.

1 2 3 represent three bars arranged as shown and secured at their converging rear ends in a casting 4. This casting 4 comprises three cups 4, located at an angle to each other, and

the bars are secured thereby, the rear ends of these cups being inclined,as shown,and bracerods 5 are secured beneath the bars, as Will now be explained.

One end of the rod 5 is screw-threaded and passed through a recess in the end of a bar and through a hole in the end of cup 4, and a nut 6 is screwed thereon against the end of the cup. The opposite end of rod 5 is attened and bent around the cross-bar 7 and over the bar 3 and secured thereto by a bolt 7 and nut, as shown, and. the rod projects between its ends below a cross-bar 8, thus forming a truss to withstand great strains on the center of bar 3 and prevent possibility of breaking until an enormous pressure suicient to snap rod 5 is applied. WhileI have described but the construction of rod 3, it is to be understood that this description applies alike to bars l and 3, as both bars are constructed alike. It Will be seen that with my improvements these vrods 5 can be adjusted, by means of nuts', to insure the proper tension on the bars l 2 3, and thereby insure great strength to the gear on Which one-half of the fifth-Wheel is secured.

A great many slight changes might be resorted to in the general form and arrangement of the several parts described Without departing from the'spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such slight changes and alterations as fairly fall Within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In arnnning-gear, the combination with a series of diverging bars and a casting connecting said bars at one end, of a brace-rod for eachYV diverging bar, each brace-rod secured at one end to said castingand the other ends of said brace-rods embracing the ends of the bars farthest removed from said casting, and secured thereto.

2. In a running-gear,'the combination with a series of diverging bars and a casting connecting said bars at the end Where they converge, of a cross-bar connecting divergent ends of the bars, and a brace-rod for each diverging bar, one end of each brace-rod embracing the cross-bar and the end of the adjacent diverging bar, and adjustably secured at the other end to said casting.

3. In a running-gear, the combination with a series of diverging bars,a casting connecting said bars Where they converge, a cross-bar connecting the divergent ends of diverging bars, and an intermediate cross-bar connecting said divergent bars, of brace-rods for said divergent bars, each brace-rod secured at one `end to the casting and bearing at an intermediate point against said intermediate crossbar, the other end of each brace-rod embracing the other cross-bar and the end ofthe adjacent diverging bar and :fixed to .the latter.

4. A running-gear composed of three longitudinal bars converging at one end, a cross bar at the diverging ends of said longitudinal bars, another cross-bar below and between ICO the ends of said longitudinal bars, a casting connecting the converging ends of said longitudinal bars, and brace-rods secured to the respective ends of the longitudinal bars engaging one of said cross-bars and passed around the other.

5. A bar for a running-gear having a metal cup on one end, a brace-rod bent around the other end of the bar and secured thereto by a bolt or screw, a device spacing the rod from the bar between its ends, said bar having a recess at its end and the metal cup having a hole to receive the screw-threaded end of said brace-rod, and a nut on the brace-rod screwed home against the end of the cup.

6. In a running-gear, the combination with a series of diverging bars, of a casting having a series of radial pockets or cups in which said bars are seated, a cross-bar connecting the divergent ends of the said bars,an intermediate cross-bar connecting said diverging bars and brace-rods for said diverging bars, each brace-rod secured at one end to the casting and bearing at an intermediate point against said intermediate cross-bar, the otherend of each brace-rod embracing the other cross-bar and the end of the adjacent diverging bar and fixed to the latter.

7.' A running-gear composed of three lon gitudinal bars converging at one end, a crossbar at the divergent ends of said longitudinal bars, another cross-bar below andbetween the ends of the longitudinal bars, a casting having radial pockets or oups into which the convergent ends of said bars are inserted and brace-rods secured to the respective ends of the longitudinal bars, engaging one of said cross-bars and passed around the other.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

HABLAN P. COLBY.

Witnesses:

RALPH A. MosHER, RAYMOND PEARL. 

